Five Things to Watch For During #SunsAtKings

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By Ben York, Suns.comAfter two heartbreaking losses in a row, the Suns hit the road on the first game of back-to-back, away/home against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, November 18. The game will be televised on FOX Sports Arizona at 8:00pm and fans can listen to the radio broadcast on Arizona Sports 620. Click through to see five things Suns fans should watch for during #SunsAtKings.

P.J. Tucker’s Offensive OutputP.J. Tucker has worked incredibly hard to improve his outside shot – and it’s beginning to pay off. Suns.com’s Matt Petersen details how Tucker has evolved into a reliable offensive threat. “Of his 20 total attempts from the corner three spot so far this season, Tucker has made 11 of them. ‘That’s always where the shots come from when you’re on the wing,’ he said. ‘You’ve got somebody like Goran who’s such a good scorer, they have to help on him, especially with Miles rolling. The back side is always open.’”

Collective ResponseNone of the Suns players wanted much time to go by after their loss against the Nets last Friday. “I wish we played tomorrow,” said a motivated P.J. Tucker after the Brooklyn game. “It’s tough to lose games like that but we’ll get back in the gym and keep working as a team. That’s what we always do.” Quite simply, nothing erases the bad taste of a loss better than a win.

Containing CousinsA double-double threat on any given night, DeMarcus Cousins has emerged into a bona-fide star in the NBA this season. Perhaps more significantly, his energy on the defensive end of the floor has vastly improved while leading the Kings in points, blocks, steals and rebounds. Making things difficult on Cousins is mandatory for the Suns to come away with a victory.

Back-to-Back The Suns have 18 back-to-back games this season. Most teams struggle on the second night of a back-to-back due to fatigue. However, neither team will have that to use as an excuse this week since they’ll face each other again on Wednesday. The first game on a back-to-back is important to build momentum and conserve as much energy as possible for the second night. Still, with the youth of these teams, they should each have enough in the tank to make both games competitive.

ConsistencyAt 5-4, the Suns are, in fact, the only team who has led in the fourth quarter of every game they’ve played in this year. But Jeff Hornacek knows that there are little things the team can improve on like weak side help and finishing the play after a defensive stop. The Suns are certainly a young team on the rise, and they’ll look to rediscover their consistency and winning ways on the road in Sacramento.

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